Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of centrifugal pumps. More particularly, the present invention relates to such pumps that utilize a pitot tube.
Related Art
Many centrifugal pumps utilize pitot tubes to transport fluid under very high pressures. Examples of pitot tube pumps are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,658 to Erickson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,102 to Erickson, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,713 to Erickson, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,499 to Erickson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,571 to Erickson, which are each incorporated herein by reference to the extent they are consistent with the teachings herein.
Typically, pitot tubes installed within pumps include an elongated neck portion that is shaped to position the tip (or inlet) of the pitot tube near the periphery of a rotary casing within which an impellor is creating fluid flow. The tip of the pitot tube is generally positioned within the pump casing where the pressure and rotational velocity of the fluid are greatest.
While such pitot tube pumps have been used with some success, there are a number of problems associated with these conventional systems. For example, due to the rather awkward geometry of the neck of the pitot (which is typically necessary to position the tip of the pitot tube where desired), the body (or neck) of the pitot tube is subject to significant forces as the fluid flows over and around the body, which can lead to significant vibrational problems. In addition, it is often the case that the tip portion of the pitot tube becomes worn over time and must be replaced or refurbished. Removal of conventional pitot tubes often requires dismantling of the entire pump, which often requires removal of the pump from the system in which it is operating, which can lead to significant losses in down time, wasted labor hours, etc. Also, conventional pitot tubes often require very specialized mounting hardware and associated tools for mounting and removing the pitot tube from the pumps.